This week I catch up with rural mum and photographer Stacey Ford who lives on the remote Fossil Downs Station in the Kimberley. Stacey was 18 when the north came calling and a chance meeting with a chopper pilot who she initially fobbed off changed everything. She now has four teenage daughters. We talk station life, homeschooling with a newborn and toddler at foot, her next chapter dealing with an empty nest, and the push she needed to pursue her passion. This is her story.
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Bridie Carter shot to fame when she starred as Tess McLeod in the hit TV series, McLeod's Daughters. 20 years on and two children later, she now splits her time between farming on her property in the Byron Bay Hinterland, and being an actor. We talk farm life, mum life, and the ups and the downs of her incredible life and career so far. This is her story.
SPONSOR: Nestled in the heart of the Beef Capital of Australia, Casino, is a small ladies boutique that has been dressing the gorgeous rural ladies of Northern NSW for over 20 years.At Arum, you can find the perfect outfit for key events including race days, weddings, functions or even just a lush picnic lunch.They’re offering FREE shipping for Motherland listeners. Use the code “Motherland” at the checkout.Visit www.arumcasino.com to view all of their goodies, or jump onto their Facebook and Instagram pages.

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Terry Underwood's story reads like it’s straight out of a novel. Her novel! The then 18 year old nurse had no idea how her life was to change when she met her future husband cattle icon John Underwood, while working at a Sydney hospital. This is an epic love story. Terry eventually moved to the Northern Territory to be with John, 600km south-west of Katherine where they began building their empire with their bare hands. Today, you'll hear the story of her first born son Martin who died at just nine months old from leukemia, and how isolation was a saviour for Terry in those initial years of grieving.You'll hear the challenges and the triumphs of living in one of the most remote parts of Australia and how Terry and John raised four children in the outback. This is her story.
SPONSOR: The Outback Pantry is an online wellness store that offers an extensive baby range including cloth nappies, swim nappies, bamboo baby wipes, certified organic products, breast pads, change mats and wet bags. It was founded by Ellie Hays in 2020 who is passionate about bringing certified organic, eco-friendly and natural products to her wider rural community. You can shop online at theoutbackpantry.com.au. Ellie is offering 15% off with the discount code MOTHERLAND.

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For the final episode of 2021, I catch up with new rural mum Claire Dunne, founder of Graziher. Claire lives on a farm in New Zealand, a long way from her family and home town in Queensland. We've heard a lot about her business baby, but this chat was a chance for me to get to know her a little more personally. You'll hear about her long distance relationship with the farmer she met on an overseas trip, and her move across the Tasman. And of course life and the juggle with her little boy. This is her story.

SPONSOR: Vivienne Cate offers a unique curated collection of cowhides, sheepskin, leather bags, hats, fashion and homewares - with a focus on natural materials and handmade products. The business is run by Karen O’Brien from her gorgeous shop front in the tiny town of Yackandandah in Victoria. You can shop Vivienne Cate’s exquisite collection online. Karen is offering $10 for flat rate EXPRESS shipping. The Christmas cut off date is December 15, so you better hurry! Visit www.viviennecate.com.

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This week, I catch up with rural mum Hayley Backhouse. Hayley is a horse trainer and competitor who recently won her first open futurity event. Hayley has two children from her first marriage, which heartbreakingly, ended in divorce. Today she shares her story on how she navigated her relationship breakdown, the shock of becoming a single mum with just $2,000 to her name, and how she found love again. This is her story.

SPONSOR: Vivienne Cate offers a unique curated collection of cowhides, sheepskin, leather bags, hats, fashion and homewares - with a focus on natural materials and handmade products. The business is run by Karen O’Brien from her gorgeous shop front in the tiny town of Yackandandah in Victoria. You can shop Vivienne Cate’s exquisite collection online. Karen is offering $10 for flat rate EXPRESS shipping. The Christmas cut off date is December 15, so you better hurry! Visit www.viviennecate.com.

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This week, I catch up with rural mum Cindy Walsh. Just weeks before her son Thomas was born, she was told he had just a 2% chance of survival. After countless tests and thousands of kilometres of travel from their farm, at four months of age, he was finally diagnosed with an extremely rare disease called Hypophosphatasia (HPP), otherwise known as 'soft bones'. But thanks to a miracle treatment, Cindy's little boy not only survived, but has thrived. This is her story.

SPONSOR: Possums & Co., founded by Dr Pamela Douglas has been awarded funding through the Australian Government’s Perinatal Mental Health and Wellbeing Program. This grant aims to protect the mental health and emotional well-being of new parents in regional, rural and remote Australia.
NDC Rural is offering 300 scholarships to health professionals wishing to complete the Neuroprotective Developmental Care (NDC or ‘the Possums Programs’) Accreditation Pathway. These scholarships are available to GPs and other health professionals in their local networks and focus on developing skills to support in areas such as breastfeeding, sleep, cry-fuss problems and maternal mental health.
For more information or to submit your interest for a scholarship, please visit www.possumsonline.com/ndcrural

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This week, I catch up with rural mum Bess O’Connor. Within weeks of meeting a handsome farmer, she’d moved in with him and they began talking babies! But their ideal life on the land didn’t quite go as planned. After numerous miscarriages Bess was finally pregnant with their son. But at 26 weeks, she went into labor in a small country town, unable to deal with a baby born so prematurely. Bess and her son defied all odds and lived to tell the tail. This is her story.

SPONSOR: Possums & Co. are leaders in evidence-based support of breastfeeding, baby sleep, cry-fuss problems and parent mood globally, and offer a genuine paradigm shift - flipping much of the popular advice parents receive upside down.
Founded by Medical Director and author Dr Pamela Douglas, Possums & Co. has secured funding through the Australian Government’s Perinatal Mental Health and Wellbeing Program, which will enable them to upskill 300 rural and remote GPs and other health professionals via a scholarship program known as NDC Rural.
Rural health professionals and mums interested in being part of this program can visit www.possumsonline.com/ndcrural

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This week, I catch up with rural mum of four and dairy farmer, Natasha Yarrington. From homebirths to homeschooling, Natasha has taken many matters into her own hands when it comes to motherhood! Her commitment to her local community recently won her the NSW Women in Dairy 'Moover and Shaker' Award. Natasha spent countless hours helping neighbours during devastating bushfires that destroyed local homes. She'd milk her cows in the morning, then head straight out to help as many people as she could. This is her story.
SPONSOR: Looking for the perfect gift? Wattle I Gift curates beautiful gift boxes filled with quality products sourced exclusively from makers, creators and growers in rural and regional Australia. You can choose from a selection of gift boxes – from the pamper hamper to the picnic pack - or create your own online at: www.wattleigift.com.au (It’s free shipping!).

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This week, I catch up with rural mum Annabelle Cleeland. Annabelle has been an agricultural journalist for over a decade. She's used to telling stories, but not her own, and not like this. In this powerful episode, Annabelle shares her deeply personal experience with birth trauma at a regional hospital. She says she was examined without consent and had an unnecessary c-section due to a lack of resources. What she went through is horrifying, and she's made it her mission to speak up to raise more awareness for rural mums everywhere. This is her story.
Birth Trauma Resources

• Birth Talk: www.birthtalk.org
• The Birth Counsel: www.thebirthcounsel.com.au
• COPE: www.cope.org.au
• HealthDirect hotline: 1800 022 222
• Lifeline: 13 11 14 or text 0477 13 11 14
• Beyond Blue: 1300 224 636
• PANDA: 1300 726 306 or www.panda.org.au

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This week, I catch up with rural mum Pip Bryant-Hill. Pip has three children and lives on a Cherry orchard on her family's property in New South Wales. Pip was born deaf due to a genetic condition that runs in her family. And being in a rural community has had its challenges, particularly when it comes to motherhood. Pip's daughter Matilda was also born deaf, and although that didn't come as a huge surprise to Pip, it was still one hell of a mission to ensure her daughter got the support she desperately needed. This is her story.

MOTHERLAND VILLAGE: Motherland Village is Australia's first online rural mothers group program, connecting mums to their own, small personalised tribe. The first groups are launching today- with mums from across Australia coming together for the six week program. If you're interested in joining your own online rural mums group, please sign up to join the waitlist. I'll be launching more early next year- so make sure you're the first to know when doors open! Go to motherlandaustralia.com.au

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